The Communications Security Establishment of Canada issued a warning earlier this month that “adversary states can influence their domestic vendors to compromise products to advance their national interests, which are counter to Canadian clients’ interests and the interests of Canada,” but the report did not specifically mention TikTok or China. Furthermore, the Canadian government is under review for probable Chinese meddling in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections, according to the National Post.
“We’re upset that the Chief Information Officer of Canada has decided to prohibit TikTok on government-issued mobile devices without identifying any particular security concerns regarding TikTok or contacting us to address any concern,” a TikTok spokeswoman told Engadget. “We are always willing to meet with government authorities to discuss how we can safeguard Canadians’ privacy and security, but singling out TikTok in this manner serves no purpose. What it does is block authorities from communicating with the public on a platform that millions of Canadians enjoy.”
